Collaborative Research: SaTC: EDU: Developing Instructional Laboratories for Blockchain Security Applications

区块链技术在包括加密货币和医疗保健系统在内的多个行业越来越多地被采用，导致全球缺乏具有区块链安全知识的熟练专业人员。为了解决这一增长劳动力的迫切需求，项目团队将开发和评估以区块链安全应用为主题的教学实验室模块。该项目的成果将是9个可重复使用的实验模块和教学组件，这些模块和教学组件可以很容易地集成到一系列网络安全课程中。还将对模块进行打包，以便于广泛传播。该项目团队将为学院和大学教育工作者提供教程，并参与当地博物馆、黑客马拉松活动和专业组织的外联活动，以接触到K-12、IT专业人员和公众受众。为了提高下一代区块链安全劳动力中代表性不足群体的个人代表性，项目团队将在历史上的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)佛罗里达农业和机械大学组织一次教育研讨会。该项目将在区块链和网络安全的交叉点开发动手实验室。具体议题包括：区块链和信息安全协议；区块链和金融技术安全；区块链应用编程接口(API)安全；以及区块链和网络安全。相关的教育研究旨在解决实验室在多大程度上促进两个基本学习目标：1)学生创建由区块链保护的域应用程序的能力(用于安全的区块链)；以及2)学生分析和理解区块链系统的安全性的能力(通过安全的区块链)。为了实现第一个目标，任务1和任务2计划开发关于区块链在保护信息安全基础设施和金融技术方面的应用的实验室模块。为了解决第二个目标，任务3和任务4打算在API和底层网络级别开发区块链安全实验室。在每个实验室中，项目团队将进行教学设计、开发和教育评估活动。这个项目得到了安全和值得信赖的网络空间(SATC)计划的支持，该计划为解决网络安全和隐私问题的提案提供资金，在这种情况下，特别是网络安全教育。SATC计划与联邦网络安全研究和发展战略计划和国家隐私研究战略保持一致，以保护和维护网络系统日益增长的社会和经济效益，同时确保安全和隐私。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The increasing adoption of blockchain technology in a variety of sectors, including cryptocurrency and healthcare systems, is resulting in a global shortage of skilled professionals knowledgeable in blockchain security. To address this urgent need to grow the workforce, the project team will develop and evaluate instructional laboratory modules centered on the topic of blockchain security applications. The project's outcome will be nine reusable lab modules and teaching components that can readily be integrated into a range of cybersecurity courses. The modules will also be packaged to allow for easy and broad dissemination. The project team will provide tutorials for college and university educators and engage in outreach at local museums, Hackathon events, and professional organizations to reach K-12, IT professional, and public audiences. In an effort to improve the representation of individuals that are members of underrepresented groups in the next-generation blockchain security workforce, the project team will organize an education workshop at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The project will develop hands-on labs at the intersection of blockchains and cybersecurity. Specific topics that will be addressed include: blockchain and information security protocols; blockchain and financial technologies security; blockchain application programming interface (API) security; and blockchain and network security. The associated educational research intends to address the extent to which two essential learning objectives are facilitated by the labs: 1) students' ability to create domain applications secured by the blockchains (blockchain for security); and 2) students' ability to analyze and understand the security of blockchain systems (blockchain by security). To address the first objective, Tasks 1 and 2 plan to develop lab modules on blockchain applications in securing information security infrastructures and financial technologies. To address the second objective, Tasks 3 and 4 intend to develop labs for blockchain security at the levels of API and underlying networks. In each lab, the project team will conduct instructional design, development, and education evaluation activities. This project is supported by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program, which funds proposals that address cybersecurity and privacy, and in this case specifically cybersecurity education. The SaTC program aligns with the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan and the National Privacy Research Strategy to protect and preserve the growing social and economic benefits of cyber systems while ensuring security and privacy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.